Clifton Hall Girls' Grammar School

Clifton Hall Girls' Grammar School

Established	1958
Closed	1976
Type	Grammar school
Location	Clifton, Nottingham Nottinghamshire England
Local authority	Nottinghamshire
Gender	Girls
Ages	11–18

Coordinates: 52°54′30″N 1°11′53″W / 52.9082°N 1.1981°W / 52.9082; -1.1981

From 1958 until 1976 Clifton Hall, the seat of the Clifton family on the Clifton Estate in Clifton, Nottinghamshire was a girls school, Clifton Hall Girls' Grammar School.

History

There were two buildings: the old Clifton Hall and a new building further up in the grounds. The Hall had some great rooms and was reputed to be haunted. The head teacher at the school when it first opened was Miss Heron; she died of cancer around 1970. She was succeeded by Miss Squire.

On 13 January 1970, sixth-former 17-year-old Sandra Simpkin married 22-year-old Alan Barnes, a window cleaner, at a register office. She was given a day off lessons to attend the ceremony. Marriages such as sixth-formers at school were and still are rare.

Closure

When the school finally closed in July 1976, a large model of a Phoenix - (the school's emblem) - was burnt to signify the end of the school. The uniform was all purple, skirt, blazer, purple/yellow tie and a white blouse. On closing, the buildings became part of Nottingham Trent University. In 2004 they were up for sale for £500,000.

Nearby to the school is a cliff that overlooks the River Trent. It is said that a lady of the Clifton family jumped off the cliff and died when she was jilted by her lover.

Alumni

• Jayne Torvill, ice-skater
• Barbara Bowles, Reputable Registered Nurse in St. Catharines, Ontario